


Cornish Encounter

by Daegaer



Category: Dark Is Rising Sequence - Susan Cooper, Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Angels, Crossover, Gen, Summer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-05-23
Updated: 2003-05-23
Packaged: 2017-11-05 15:11:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/407881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daegaer/pseuds/Daegaer





	Cornish Encounter

Jane wandered round by herself. She seemed to have lost Simon and Barney. She would have been happier about that if she wasn't worried that the town might change again to the way it had been a century ago. The images of the old fishing boats were in the forefront of her mind. The ghost of a long skirt flapped round her ankles, and her feet momentarily felt as if they were laced into boots instead of being in comfortable and cool sandals. She rounded the corner and came on Great Uncle Merry who was smiling broadly and shaking another man's hand. They seemed very glad to have met each other. She hung back out of shyness and politeness, and watched Great Uncle Merry and his friend talk. The other man had looked to her at first to be the same age as Great Uncle Merry himself, and then much younger. He turned suddenly, and their eyes met. She thought, as if she heard someone say the words very far away, _why, no, he's so much older_. The man smiled a wide, sunny smile and she felt dizzy and wondered what it was she had been thinking.

"And who is this young lady?" he asked.

He had a very nice London accent, Jane thought. A gentleman, her mother would say.

"This is my niece Jane," Great Uncle Merry said. "Was there something you wanted, Jane?"

"I just - I wondered where you'd gone," Jane said, coming up to them. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

She looked in fascination at Great Uncle Merry's friend. He looked so perfectly ordinary. More ordinary than anyone she'd every seen. It was almost as if he were standing behind his ordinariness. She was quite sure she would not have given him a second glance if the day had not already turned ordinary things upside down. She thought that maybe if she looked harder for just a little longer she would be able to see him properly. He smiled as if he were very amused, and reached out and casually turned her round so that she faced Great Uncle Merry.

"She's a charming girl," he said. "And she has excellent eyesight."

"A trait I wish I could say you had also," Great Uncle Merry said. "Do you really think your -- associate will stay out of this matter?"

"He won't interfere. He knows not to."

"I wish you could see this clearly. You know which side he will stand on at the end. He has no choice."

"I know him," Great Uncle Merry's friend said simply.

He sounded sad, Jane thought. He patted her shoulder, and she looked up at him.

"I'm being very rude, Jane. My name is Aziraphale - yes, it is rather a funny name, isn't it? I suppose I should ask you what you want to do when you grow up. That's what grown ups are supposed to ask children they've just met, hmmm?"

His smile invited her to laugh, so she did. Like most grown ups he wasn't very funny, but she was a polite girl.

"I don't know what I want to do, Mr Aziraphale," she said.

"An honest answer, good girl. Well, let's not ask you that then. I'll ask you something else instead."

He bent down to her eye level and looked intently into her face. Jane realised that she could not tell what colour his eyes were. It was odd, but it didn't seem important.

"Jane," he said carefully. "Are you willing to see this through to the end?"

He was holding his breath, she thought. The whole world was holding its breath. She felt like a feather in a mighty breeze, although the day was hot and still. The sun beat off the cobblestones and everything was quiet. She couldn't hear any cars or people, or even the gulls.

"I am," she said, never once looking away from the bright and colourless eyes.

He straightened back to his full height and gave her a very kind smile. She could hear the sounds of people going about their business again. Great Uncle Merry was looking at her, proud and sad.

" _Good_ girl," Mr Aziraphale said.

He put a hand in his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.

"Why don't you buy yourself an ice cream, Jane?" he said, pressing it into her hand. "You buy whatever you want."

She looked down to see she held a pound note.

"Oh, that's far too much for an ice cream, Mr Aziraphale," she said.

"No, no. You might want to get something later."

"Thanks!" she said, smiling broadly.

As she turned to go he put a hand on her arm to stop her.

"Just a moment, child," he said, gently putting a hand on her head. "Bless you, Jane."

She felt light again, and fizzy with happiness. Everything seemed very sharp and clear. Without much surprise she looked up to see that Mr Aziraphale was edged in faint white light. He winked at her and put his hands behind his back.

"Go get your ice cream," he said, laughing.

"Thank you," Great Uncle Merry said, sounding taken aback and very pleased.

"I rather think she'll need it," Mr Aziraphale said. "Don't you?"

Jane folded the pound safely into her hand and skipped away. She was going to buy the biggest, coldest ice cream the town had to offer.


End file.
